Having designed various types of controllers and peripherals
for all three of the big console platforms, Nacon is still a big deal in the
video game accessory space. From professional-level gamepads that help you step
up your game in the latest FPS to stylish headsets that offer crystal clear
audio, when Nacon put a new product out in the world, it’s always worth paying
attention to. The latest one of the rack is what’s known as the Pro Compact wired controller designed specifically for Xbox consoles. It tries to do a lot with
very little – literally – but the question is: does it pack the punch we now
expect from a next-gen console experience?
As we’ll no doubt get into, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The
Nacon Pro Compact controller isn’t a bad offering, by any means, but it is one
that may irritate a large portion of the gaming audience for one specific
reason. It does, however, pack in lots of exciting technical features absent in
a lot of other customisable Xbox gamepad options. Are said features primed to
push your buttons? Let’s find out…
Nacon Pro Compact wired Xbox controller – Style
This is a third-party controller that keeps things smooth
and stylish. Whereas some rival options tend to want to wow you with swappable
components that end up making the final product a little garish, we’re pleased
to report that the Nacon Pro Compact is a trim and nice-looking product.
Available in both Black or White (to match either the Series X or S), Nacon sent
us the latter for this review, and it really makes for a clean aesthetic. We particularly
grew to like the textured matte surface on both the front and back of the
controller. Going for glossy could have risked the Nacon pro looking cheap, but
the more muted surfaces results in the opposite effect and feels good in the
palm.
Obviously in contrast the white controller’s overall
pared-back colour palette are the black accents that come from the triggers,
D-pad and analogue sticks. These match the colour of the 3M braided wire
nicely, though, and help tie the gamepad’s style together. Lastly, in terms of
style, you have the Nacon Pro Compact’s face buttons. These are definitely more
pronounced than what you’d find on Xbox’s official gamepad solution, especially
since the letters appear larger and make full use of all four colours. Is this
ideal? Probably not. But it’s not a deal-breaker and the controller will still
look good sitting next to your white Xbox console when not in use.
Nacon Pro Compact wired Xbox controller – Functionality
As with most third-party controllers, the Nacon Pro Compact
is fully functional with every iteration of Xbox from the One series onwards.
This means that those still playing on the last generation of consoles have
nothing to worry about when picking one up. Much like Microsoft’s own ethos,
Nacon have been wise to have the Pro Compact stay fully flexible, to the point
that it’ll always be recognised instantly as soon as you plug it in via a USB
connection.
The Nacon Pro Compact is indeed wired, which may be a little
disappointing to some. If you’re a die-hard Xbox player who likes the freedom
that comes from not being tethered to your console, the Pro Compact won’t do
much for you. A 3-meter cable is a great length, don’t get us wrong, but it can
still be a hinderance in instances where the only USB slot you have left is around
the back of your console – you instantly lost about a foot. That said, you won’t
suffer any lag when using the Nacon Pro in competitive games thanks to the
wired connection, and the gamepad’s wired nature obviously isn’t much of an
issue when playing on PC.
Nacon Pro Compact wired Xbox controller – Performance
Performance is where the Nacon Pro Controller really shines,
not least due to the number of technical features and rampant customisation
options it packs in. Despite it’s lightweight, small-ish design, those who
constantly find themselves frustrated with re-mappable button limitations won’t
find any barriers here. Now, admittedly, the one drawback is that a separate “Pro
Compact” app needs to be downloaded to your Xbox to take full advantage.
Whereas other third-party options will let you simply hold down a button to
remap it to a different function, here it’s a little more involved but it’s
worth it.
After downloading the dedicated app and connect the Nacon
Pro Compact to your console, swapping a button’s existing function is as
straightforward as selecting an alternate from the drop-down menu. So far, so
understandable. However, where the gamepad really steps it up is in how you can
also adjust the D-pad’s responsiveness and dead zone. Nacon have a number of
pre-set options available in the app depending on the type of game you want to
play – Racing, Sports, FPS, and so on – but this you can also fully tailor.
Nacon really should be commended for offering Xbox players an unrivalled amount
of flexibility and customisation with regards to control. Want to switch around
the left and right sticks? Go for it.
Nacon Pro Compact wired Xbox controller – Comfort
And so we enter the make-or-break portion for the Nacon Pro
Compact wired Xbox controller. You see, when Nacon say “compact” they actually
really mean it. For once it isn’t just hyperbolic marketing speak. The Pro
Compact is significantly squatter than the official Xbox controller, which can
make reaching the back triggers a bit of a pain for players with bigger hands.
We would go so far as to say that the Nacon Pro is borderline a nuisance to use
in these cases. We know this because, when testing it out across a handful of multi-hour
play sessions, it was a constant struggle to have it sit comfortably in the hand.
Reaching to the shoulder buttons from the back triggers using our index fingers
and back again also never felt natural.
We’re sure that Nacon has done its homework in developing a
button layout and overall size that would perfectly suit smaller hands. If
anything, this just goes to show how much of a struggle it is for those players
to use the standard controller often included with consoles. However, this does
nothing to help people with either regular or slightly larger-than-average
sized hands who want to make use of the Pro Compact’s amazing flexibility,
because the act of using it can be a pain (sometimes literally). “Ergonomic” is
sprawled out on the controller’s box, and for half of the gaming audience we
can’t help but say this simply isn’t true. Hoorah for Xbox players with smaller
hands. For everyone else, though, the official Xbox controller wins out on
comfort.
Nacon Pro Compact wired Xbox controller – Price
On the more positive side of things, the Nacon Pro Compact sells
for a commendable £50 here in the UK – though you may find it slightly cheaper
at select UK retailers. We’d say that’s a fair price overall for a gamepad as
customisable and good-looking as this. And while you could probably find more
competitive third-party options, it’s hard to argue that the Nacon Pro Compact
represents a good value proposition. Just be sure to consider the size of your
hands before committing to a purchase.
